The profiler and the geneticist
by another.maggie
Summary: What If Maeve didn't/doesn't die? I'll upload some drabbles and one shots about their life. First chapter is a little longer than the others will be. ) Rated K just to be safe.
1. Numb

**A/N: I'm looking for a beta reader (just for this story). If anyone's interested, please let me know. And please, let me know your thoughts about this whole thing.**

**I know this chapter is a little long, next one's will be shorter. =)**

**Enjoy!**

Where am I?

Everything was dark around Maeve Donovan. She was nauseous, yet she felt numb. She couldn't see anything and that always got her nervous. What had just happened?

Slowly some pictures formed in the darkness. She was there. And Spencer was there. Had they finally met? She had already suspected her stalker to be gone. Probably she felt save enough and decided to meet him?

She looked at herself and him. So happy. Smiling. Yet, why didn't she walk over and pulled him into a hug as she had desired for a very long? Why didn't she at least great him? Did she change her mind at the very last moment and run away like that one night at the restaurant?

No, no. The pictures changed. It was dark again. Or... No, it wasn't dark. She could see him. His eyes covered by a blindfold, yet he looked exactly like she imagined. Maeve gave a weak smile and tried to get up. Apparently she was sitting on a chair, her feet touching the ground, her arms on the leans. She wanted to walk over, but she couldn't. Looking down she saw her arms tied to the leans. What the hell was going on?

Someone took the blindfold off Spencer's eyes. Beautiful, green-brown eyes. Not that she cared.

"I don't love you", he said.

Maeve was baffled. Why did he just say that? The picture erased from her mind and she fell back into the darkness hardly fighting the darkness claim her.

"Reid..."

"No!" Reid shook his head in disbelief. Maeve... no, this wasn't even possible. This couldn't be true. He brushed a finger against her pale cheek. Her body had yet to cool down. He almost felt like her heart was still doing it's job, struggeling for life. Something that had just been taken from her because of nothing.

His finger was trembling, yet he left a light imprint on her cheek, which disappeared again just like that.

God, she was beautiful! Why did he never push her to meet? If they had met, she'd probably be alive or at least, he would've died with her.

He longed to tell her some things she would now never figure out. He loved her. And even though she couldn't really help him with blindfolds he wasn't scared when he felt she was in the room with him. She figured out his game immediately. She was a smart mind, for sure.

If he had only known how to kiss Diane back... If only someone had shot her.

Reid brushed against his beloved's cheek once more. The imprint disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

Wait a second... it disappeared?

"Someone call 911!"  
*

Maeve was back at her dark place again. Thinking.

Why did he say that? Why did he say he didn't love her? And why did he tell her that with such an open hearted smile? Did he...

She shook her head trying to free her mind. There had to be a reason for that. God, she needed to think!

Suddenly, Maeve was pulled back into that warehouse again. Or... was it a warehouse? Damn, she didn't have a clue.

There was Spencer. He was not longer sitting at some chair. She was looking at him. He was talking, but apparently, not to her. She wanted to go to him and ask him about his statement. But again she found herself caught. Something was pressing against her throath. It felt soft and yet hard. Like flesh and bones. An arm. Maeve followed the arm up to his owner. Surprisingly she found the owner wasn't any taller than herself.

It was a woman, who pointed a gun at... well, Maeve.

Maeve opened her mouth in shock.

"WAIT!"

She looked back at Spencer, who'd just screamed that. There were some more people standing behind him now. They had FBI written on their bullet proof vests. A picture started to form in her mind as she heard a loud noise. Something hit her skull and she fell to the ground headache starting to build up as she hit hard and without any warning. Blood dropped from a wound at her left temple.

Maeve opened the eyes back at her dark place. Oh god. She had just witnessed her own death. She was dead.

Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. The word was repeating like the beep of an heart monitor. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

"BP 80/30, 40 beats per minute, bradycardia", one of the paramedics said out loud. Reid knew this wasn't good. But at least, she had a pulse.

He was holding her hand and didn't let anybody take him away from her.

"Sir, we gave her the infusion. There's nothing more we can do for her right now. Would you please let us check your arm?"

"I'm fine", he snapped. "I'll get it fixed at the hospital."

"Sir... please, at least let us do a tourniquet", one of the paramedics asked him.

"Fine!" Reid didn't let go of her hand, though. She was still alive. She could make it.

God, she had to make it. He didn't know what he'd do if she'd loose that battle. He needed her. He had already lost her once.

"Please, Maeve", he whispered softly stroking through her hair, "You've gotta make it. There's so much more that we should all see in that world..."

The young profiler didn't even recognize the tears dropping from her face.

Maeve felt something cold falling on her cheeks. She was cold. Something was pouring into her arm. She longed to scratch the foreign matter away, but she couldn't move her left arm not at all.

The deads slowly turned into beeps.

Maybe, I'm alive, she thought hope raising. She tried very hard to open her eyes, but it was hard.

Unconscious, she thought. Then she felt more of the cold substance dropping onto her face. Tears, she thought. Someone was brushing through her hair. Spencer?

Maeve braced herself and opened her eyes. Her lids fluttered and the room was revealed to her. An ambulance. And right at her side: Spencer!

A paramedic rushed over her face and she lost the sight of him.

"She's opened her eyes", he yelled. "Can you hear me, Miss?"

Maeve would've loved to answer his question or even to ask some things back, but she couldn't bare to open her mouth.

"Maeve", she heard Spencer. Asking, hoping.

I'm here, she wanted to say. But her mouth wouldn't let her.

"Miss, If you hear me, please try to do anything to show. Can you blink your eyes?"

Maeve tried. And successed.

Everyone gave a reliefed sigh.

"We're on our way to the hospital right now. You'll need some surgery." Maeve blinked. "You've been shot." I know. She blinked. "We need to remove the bullet from the brain." She blinked. Spencer.

Maeve felt her power come tumbling down. She tried to fight against it, but her lids fluttered eitherway.

"I love you", she heard Spencer and then she felt back into her darkness not knowing about what would happen next.

Maeve squeezed her eyes at the light. She had a pretty hard headache and felt pretty numb, but except for that she felt pretty well and... alive.

As she pulled up all her strength she shifted herself in the bed she was apparently laying in and turned her head to the left just to find Spencer asleep on a chair beside her. She smiled.

Spencer woke up to find Maeve looking at him. She was smiling. He looked out of the window behind her. It was deep in the night. He sat up quickly and took her hand not even bothering to ask anymore. Why would he.

"You alright?"

"You saved me", she stated still smiling. "Thank you."

"No, you saved yourself. Not everyone survives such kind of impact", he corrected her.

She shook her head. "No. You saved me. without you, I wouldn't have made it through all of this. Thank you."

He blushed.

"Maeve?"

"Yeah, Spence?"

"I thought you were dead." He looked at her his eyes connecting with his. He was serious and so was she. "Yeah, me too", she replied.

"I love you", he said. "I thought I'd never tell you, Maeve. I love you."

She smiled weakly, still numbed by the shot and the surgery. "I love you, too."


	2. one year

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds. Because, If I did, Maeve would still be alive.**

**A/N: I wanted to have their wedding and everything, but it seems like I'm not in the mood for a wedding right now. Because it's my lucky day I give you something else! =)  
**

Spencer Reid was looking out of the window. Wondering. Today it was one year to the day he almost lost his girlfriend, his soulmate, his Maeve. He didn't knew whether he should celebrate that day or mourn the ones, who lost someone that day.

Maeve didn't love Bobby anymore, when he died. But he had been her fiancé. They did have some more contact than 'just friends'. They had been more than friends. And today, she mourned him. She didn't mourn Diane, not really. That girl almost killed her. There was no reason to mourn her. Yet still when he woke that day, her right at his side she had been sad.

_"What's up", he had asked._

_"I'm mourning the ones, who lost someone a year ago today", she'd said. They never lied at eachother. It kept them real. "You know, even though she was crazy and everything... her foster parents could be upset."_

_She knew it wasn't true and Spencer knew it either. Nobody attended Diane's funeral. Really. Nobody even cared for her burial at all. It was sad, but it was true. Still, it seemed like Maeve had to believe the best to live on._

_"I'm going to the graveyard today", she had told him before he took off. She had made him breakfast. She was a good cook. "That okay with you?"_

He had told her he'd be alright. It wasn't a lie. He felt like alright at that very moment, but right now he felt different, like things had changed. She was at the graveyard right now, while he was at work. Shouldn't he have gone there to?

"What's up, pretty boy?"

The voice startled Reid, but he kept calm. "Huh? No, nothing... I was just thinking..."

"Oh, boy. I can tell something's bothering you. Any trouble in paradise?" Morgan took a seat without being asked. Yeah. That was totally Morgan.

Reid shook his head, defensive. They were alright. "No, not at all... Just... it's been one year today."

"One year since what?"

"Since we met face-to-face", Reid explained. He didn't want to use the terms 'stalker' and 'almost dead' right now.

"Oh, I see..."

"I'm not quiet sure what to do, see, we already celebrated our first anniversary two months after the whole thing, but... this day is special, too, right?" Reid looked at his friend, glad he'd finally opened his heart to someone. As much as Maeve's absence bothered him as much he wanted to show her that this day was important to him, too.

"Well, you can count your blessings, pretty boy. Two anniversaries in one year..." Morgan shrugged. "I think you should definitely give it a go. Take her out or something."

"I would love to! Thing is, she's mourning someone she's lost", Reid tried to explain.

"Her ex-fiancé? Right, I forgot about that." Morgan furrowed his brows in deep thought. This _really _was a challenge.

As it took to long, Reid interrupted. "I got her a present. But I don't know how she'll react."

"You never know that about presents... does Maeve like presents?"

"She isn't the material type, not really. She hasn't got any junk, it's amazing. But she always liked what I gave her... So, yeah, I guess she likes presents", Reid sorted his thoughts, finally. Morgan shook his head grinning.

"Then she'll like this one either."

"You sure?"

"Trust me. She'll love it."

Then he took off and the profiler was left alone to wonder when he got a call from aforementioned girlfriend.

"Maeve?"

"I'm fine. How're you, Spence?" She sounded cheerful, almost happy. But there was some other feeling to it.

"Me too. Where are you?" It had become a set part of their calls. Her telling him that she was fine and he replying 'me too'.

He took a look out of the window. Cars drove past eachother quickly. Some people were waiting at the traffic lights. He spotted J.J., which got him curious since it was her day off. She seemed to have Henry with her, what made Reid happy as well as it got him worried.

"I just got back home", she told him and he heard the door closing and the noise of clattering hangers. "You're still at work, I guess?"

"Yeah, some file work", he replied. J.J. had now crossed the street. They were obviously on their way to the offices.

"Oh." Maeve sighed. She sounded sad, like something was bothering her, but she didn't want to tell him on phone. As If she didn't feel safe.

Sometimes she felt like being followed. When she stumbled across that 'Slender' game every kid was talking about she couldn't be alone at home nor get any sleep for more than three hours. She didn't have any other mental issues, though, but this was really hard on her. Reid tried his best to help her with that feelings. Since she moved in with him (which had been like one week after they met, because she didn't want ever to live in that apartment again) she'd felt more safe. The issues weren't gone by now, but she was feeling better most of the time.

"I could take it home, eventually", Reid quickly told her.

"You'd do that? Because... really, that would be great."

"Could you just hold on for another twenty minutes? I'll get this all cleared up and then I'll be there. If that's okay with you?"

"Of course. Thanks."

"Never mind, really." He stood up and walked out of his office to check if Hotch was aviable.

"Would you like anything special for lunch", Maeve asked, her voice going back to that cheerful, yet nervous, tone. Obviously, she was trying to cheer herself up more than him.

"Well, do we have any special ingredients home?"

"Uhm... There are a lot of spices and... a coconut. And noodles", he was told as she checked the fridge.  
He chuckled.

"I guess noodles will be okay", he said, while he walked towards Hotch's office.

"It'll be noodles then", Maeve announced.

"Alright. I gotta talk to Hotch now. See you in twenty minutes."

"Spence?"

"Yeah?"

"Love you."

He smiled and entered Hotch's office instantly.


	3. married life

**A/N: I was wondering... they wrote letters, Reid and Maeve. How did he write a letter without knowing her last name despite her adress? That's got me curious... anyways. I think as a doctor she would have had to give her whole name.**  
**Another thank you to CruzdelSur for the lovely reviews. It means a lot to me.**  
**And of course a thak you to all of you reading/reviewing this story. 17 followers is a lot guys, thank you!**

_Dear Mr. Reid,_

_after studying your MRI in addition to your medical records I don't necessarly assume a psychosomatic disorder. Although there aren't any signs of brain damage or atrophy on the MRI I think that your headaches are due to neural reasons. I suggest equal doses of Riboflavin and Magnesium as well as sporadic shots of E2. You should be able to get those at the nearest pharmacy, else I could write you a prescription. I suggest you try this for one or three months to see if it works. I have an open mind about medical obversation and consultation._  
_I hope we will stay in touch._

_Sincerely,_  
_Dr. M. Donovan_

Three years ago, who of them would have thought that this letter would start a relationship like this?

Spencer looked up and thankful caught a glimpse of his slumbering wife. He still couldn't believe they were actually married.

It had been two months since the wedding. Yet he always smiled when he caught her fingering at her silver ring in disbelief. She was happy. But she just couldn't stop her mind from thinking about the first ring she recieved out of love.

Dr. Maeve Reid. She liked the sound of it. Her book would be published in September this year, under her maiden name. Although it had been over one and a half years since her abduction, yet she was scared of having her name in public printed on books.

"There's no Dr. Maeve Donovan anymore", she had told him, "So no one will ever get across the idea of stalking me, but if, they won't find anyone."

Spencer didn't care about that. He wanted her safe and sound. And right now she was there. In his arms, were she supposed to be. He didn't want to ever let go of her.

Maeve blinked her eyes at the sunlight shining through the light curtains. She yawned sleeply and cuddeled into her husband's chest. She knew he was there and this was really important to her. When she was awake enough to talk she turned around and faced him her blue eyes meeting his greenbrown eyes.

"Hey", he whispered soundlessly.

"Hey. Did you sleep well?"

"With you next to me, always." Spencer kissed her forehead softly and she gave a content smile. "It's Sunday. Breakfast in bed?"

Maeve nodded quickly, but as Spencer tried to move up she got a grip on him. "Stay for a while?"

Now it was the profiler's turn to smile. "No problem at all."

She cuddled closer putting her head under his chin. The first birds practiced their twittering while Maeve listened to her husband's heartbeat.

"I could do that all day", she said after a while. "Just lay here with you. There's nothing more I'd like better than that."

"Well, actually, you couldn't. If we wouldn't eat anything, we'd soon be dead", he replied. She chuckled.

"It's just a term, you know", she mumbled into his chest taking in his scent. He smelled like always, like Spencer and she loved that.

The phone ringed, destroying their peaceful silence.

"Your turn", Maeve directed.

"You sure? Maybe it's for you."

Maeve gave a sceptical look. "Since when does my boss call me on Sundays."

"Touché." Spencer got up and walked over to the phone since really, a phone doesn't belong on the nightstand. Not if you're afraid of brain damage, at least.

Maeve watched from bed as she heard Spencer talking with - apparently - his boss. She was used to him going to work on Sundays. She just didn't like it. Especially not today, when she was up to tell him something that important...

"So, what's up in crime land?" Spencer heard his wife asking as he hung up the phone. He sighed.

"Suicidal teenage girls, sisters, in Manhattan. Apparently there're still three of them out there and they always take someone with them", he sighed.

"I guess we'll have breakfast in bed next week then", she gave a weak grin trying to make it easier for him to leave. She always did. "I'm up yet anyways. Do you still have the time for some pancakes?"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be. I understand, you know." This time her smile was real. "I'll make you a sandwich and give you a ride to the airport."

"Thank you", Spencer said looking down. He still couldn't believe e was married with this wonderful woman.

"That's what a wife is for, huh?" Maeve leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Now go and dress yourself, so that you can safe the world."

He smiled and kissed her back. "I love you."

"Love you, too", she said as she trailed off to the kitchen.


	4. to show or not to show

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews. Here you go, requested pregnancy-fluff right ahead. I'm open to new suggestions for new chapters!**

****Spencer walked into the room spotting a picture he'd seen for what seemed like the last two weeks: Maeve standing in front of the mirror, chemise lifted, frowning at her own sight.

"You found something yet", he joked entering.

Maeve turned around facing him. "It's so not funny", she told him seriously.

Chuckling he pulled her into a close embrace. She turned back to the mirror and sighed. "21 weeks and still not showing yet", she anotated her stomach.

"Didn't the doctor say everything's fine?" Spencer put a hand on his wife's stomach in comfort. Then he looked at the picture in front of them and smiled at it. This felt so right. Maeve didn't smile, though.

"When my Mom was pregnant with me she started showing at three months already", the geneticist complained. "Shouldn't this be kinda genetic or something?"

"First thing, you should know, since you're the genetecist. Second, your Mom had already been pregnant once then. Her tummy was kinda... hackneyed."

Maeve couldn't hide her grin at this neat remark. Spencer brushed a kiss onto her neck contently.  
"You know you don't have to worry, right", he asked. Just to make sure she wouldn't.

"I just..." She sighed. "I wish I'd show."

Spencer was stunned. He blinked his eyes quite quickly. "Why?"

"Because." Maeve pouted. A face so similar to the one he'd see pretty often when their child would hit this 'special age'. Of course, he didn't know that at this moment.

"C'mon. You can tell me", he wooed her. "I promise I'll keep it a secret."

"People doubt my pregnancy", she blurted.

"What?"

"It's not funny, so stop making faces", she demanded not letting go of her annoyed yet so cute pouty face. She brushed a hand over her stomach. There was nothing to show. "They do have a point, though. I haven't gained any weight. I even lost some!"

"Maeve, the Doctor said..."

"The hell did he say! I don't look like someone who's pregnant. I look like the paragon of the total opposite!" Her outburst shocked him and apparently it shocked Maeve, too. Since she started crying. She turned away from the mirror and cried into his shirt. "Sorry", she mumbled.

"It's alright, you don't have to be sorry", Spencer excused rashly.

"It's just those... stupid hormones." She sniffed and rubbed her eyes getting rid of the salty water. Or trying, at least.

"Who exactly doubts your pregnancy?" When he didn't get a reply, the profiler started guessing. "Is it Derek? He's just trying to mock me. You shouldn't take that personally... or J.J? Or... my Mom? But why would my Mom call you to tell you that you don't..."

"It's none of your folks, Spence." She went to sit down at the bed. "I'm a little dizzy", she explained. As he sat down next to her, she told him: "When I was at the mall yesterday I walked past that store and... I know, we didn't want to buy anything until week 25, but I just couldn't resist, it was so darn cute..." She shrugged apologetically. Spencer shrugged in return.

"It's alright. Go on."

"Well, I went in to buy it and when I did the cashier asked me, whether it was for my sister. When I told her it was for my own she suggested for me to get pregnant before buying any baby stuff... I didn't buy it, though", Maeve told him. "This was pretty depressing."  
She cuddled to her husband's chest.

"The key is to keep company only with the people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best", Spencer tried.

"Epictetus", Maeve played along, "But how does that help?"

"You know what", Spencer said, Maeve's face still under his chin. "I think we should start buying things for the baby now."

"Really?" Maeve's face lit up. He knew she'd had her eyes on some stuff for a while. He nodded. "Why wait? It's only a matter of time until we'll be too rushed to make it. Now that we're still pretty calm we should do it. Once we have to step every two and a half meters because someone wants to touch your belly this will not be amusing anymore."

She smiled, yet this time she didn't face him, when she said: "I'd love that."


	5. too early

**A/N: I give you some drama as requested. Hope you like it. Let me know your thoughts and further suggestion. Except for baby Reid, I already have something in my mind... Take pot luck!**

The BAU Team was just hanging out around their improvised Headquarters. Their UNSUB killed teenage couples, apparently making the boy kill his girlfriend after he keept them for some hours to do something they had yet to figure out.

"I think our UNSUB is in his mid 30s or early 40s", Morgan suggested. "Baby girl?"

"I'm already working on it, pretty boy", Garcia purred over the phone. "Trucker, mid 30s or early 40s around this area... we've got a couple hundered of them. We need some more information else I can't work any magic."

"Garcia, he makes them watch. He's a sadist. Look for delicts in their pre-teens and teens, threatening animals or something", Spencer demanded. Hotch nodded acceptingly.

"Still not enough to get any useful results", the IT specialist told them, „Sorry."

"Alright...", Hotch said, "What do we know about him?"

"The boy has to kill his girlfriend, not the other way around", J.J thought out loud. "Why?" Spencer got it immediately.

"Of course! J.J, that's genius... Garcia, check if there are any truckers, with dead sisters or mothers", Spencer said hastly. Then he explained: "If he'd watched his sister or mother get killed by their boyfriend this could cause..."

Right then his phone ringed. The old school ring flooded the room.

"Sorry."

He read the name on the display in surprise. Maeve.  
They had talked this through; whenever he's on a job he calls when he's got some spare time. If they're in the same time zone Maeve calls at 8 p.m when she gets home from work to tell him goodnight. Else she only calls at a push.

Emergency? The profiler bit his lower lip.

"It's... I've gotta answer this", he asked and demanded at the same time begging Hotch.

Hotch nodded. "Make it quick, though."

"Thank you." Reid nodded and walked off a couple steps taking the call.

"Spence", Maeve almost yelled. "You've gotta come here as soon as you can! I thinksomethingmightjustvehap penedbutamnotsurethough..."

Irritated and scared he leaned up against the wall. He couldn't understand a word she was saying.

"Maeve, please, you've gotta slow down. I can't follow you", he said.

"Spencer, I think my water just broke", Maeve told him almost calm. Still her voice was one octave higher then it usually is.

"What?" He must've been very loud since everyone seemed to turn and look at him.

"There's a puddle between my legs. I think... no, I'm pretty sure that my water just broke", Maeve repeated, calmer this time. Apparently she accepted the fact or something.

"But... it's too early", Spencer whispered so that no one would hear him this time.

"I know that..." She whined. „Please, Spence. I need you."

Spencer ran a hand through his hair and fisted it half way up. He had to think... How quick could a plane make it from Oklahoma City to Washington D.C.? He obviously couldn't take the jet. They had yet to catch the UNSUB...

2 hours and 40 minutes without a stopp, but usually the plane stopped in Memphis or Houston making it five Hours... Hell, this was too much time!  
He wouldn't make it.

"Maeve, are you still there?"

"Of course I am, where else should I be", she replied stroppy. Then in the same breath she excused herself: "Spence, I'm sorry, I just don't know where that came fr... ouch!"

Spencer winced at the thought. He could only imagine her. Convulsing in pain... and he wasn't there.

He should've stayed. She'd said she still felt weird about the growth and everything. She'd told him to go and he should've stayed. Now he'd miss his baby's birth and wouldn't be able to comfort Maeve since cellphones weren't something stewardesses liked to see in their planes.

Maybe, he'd also miss his child's death.

"You should call an ambulance", the profiler directed. „Are you alone?"

Meanwhile he felt that all eyes were on him. He could hear Garcia asking what was going on.

"No, I'm at my parent's, but Dad's in town with the c...ouch." Spencer heard his wife gasping for some breath. "Mom called an ambulance."

"Good."

Maeve leaned up against the counter and looked at the puddle beneath her feet. She wasn't sure whether she could concern him some more and tell him about the blood that had mixed up with aminiotic fluid. Some blood was nothing to worry about. But it was much more blood than she'd expected.

Her Mom was yelling at her father through the phone. "No, you've gotta come over... or well, better you go straight to the hospital... How would I know? The ambulance isn't here yet..."

Maeve sighed. She had to tell him.

"Spence..."

"Yes?"  
"There is awful lot of blood, too."

Actually, there was still blood running down her legs. She clenched her teeth as a contraction hit her. She'd been counting. At least she was far away from giving birth yet.

The voices in the back got louder. Apparently, his team was with him and he'd shown. The bell ringed.

"Finally!" Maeve's Mom rushed to the door.

"Spence, they're here now. I'm going to the hospital. My Mom will give you a call when we're there." She bit her lower lip pretending she was brave.

"I'll make it as soon as possible!"

"I know that." The paramedics rushed into the room and she knew she'd have to quit. "I love you."

"What's happening, kid?" Morgan asked as soon as Spencer hung up the phone. The young profiler was white as a ghost.

"I... Maeve just called and told me that her water broke."

The others didn't dare to say anything, so Spencer went on. "Sorry", he simply said. "I gotta catch the next flight to D.C."

"There's no way you're _not_ taking the jet", Hotch said. Everyone was stunned at his reaction.

"Why, thank you", was all Spencer managed to say at that point.

"Call us when you get there", J.J demanded, but the profiler was already storming out of the room.

"Wahh... pretty boy's gonna be a Daddy", Morgan grinned. The others had dumb smiles on their faces, too. It was J.J to ask: "But isn't it too early?"


	6. lapsing

**A/N: You get some more Drama, sorry =P. I'm still open to suggestions. Just tell me what you'd like to see and I'll see what I can do. =) Let me know your thoughts! Thanks for all the reviews, it means a lot.**

** TheMysteriousGeek2345 & tannerose5: I would never dare to kill Maeve! I hate the writers for doing so. Please don't put me into one drawer with them. But, as you said, the 'danger magnet' just had to kick in.**

**Enjoy ~**

Six hours after Spencer had left Oklahoma City Derek Morgan got a call.

"Reid!", he called out in surprise. He wasn't expecting a call at all. Not now. Maybe in a day or something. While Spencer was still on his way back home the BAU team found and arrested their UNSUB savin the couple he'd just abducted.

Not that Morgan thought about this as he read Reid's name. It was late night, but he really didn't care at this moment.

"Hi, Morgan. You got him?"

"Yeah, we got him."

Morgan couldn't sense a special tone in Reid's voice. Usually, reading him wasn't that much of a challenge since he was always showing his feelings without noticing. He could hide them, though, if he wanted. It took Morgan ten months to figure out about Maeve. It took him another three to figure out about the baby.

"How're things over there", Morgan asked after he had hesitated for some seconds.

The younger man didn't reply immediately. Morgan could only imagine what feelings he had just pulled up. Reid was calling. So the baby was either born or died. And the hell did he know about what happened to Maeve.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to...", he started. Reid interrupted quite harshly: "No, you might ask. It's alright."

Morgan waited and Reid sighed. Another couple minutes of silence filled their ears. Except for the hospital noises there was nothing. Not even breathing. Morgan watched the clock on the wall, seconds going by like hours. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick...

"We've a baby", Reid finally spoke, "Maeve's in a coma."

"What? Wait, slow down", Morgan demanded. How could he throw such nuggets at him?

"I'm not feeling like talking right now. I just wanted to call to say I'm alright", Reid clarified.

"But Reid... Is anyone at the hospital with you?" The older man was concerned about his friend. Did he really had to go through all of this on his own? This would be even more cruel.

"Maeve's parents are with me", he replied. "I think I'll go and check if there're news." His voice was numbed, professional. Silly him. He was shelving his feelings again.

"Hey, Reid?" It was his last shot before he probably wouldn't hear a word from Reid in days. Morgan had to take his chance.

"Yeah?"

"Call me if something changes."

"I will. Please let the others know." He could almost hear Reid nodding.

"Yeah, man, of course."

"And Morgan? Please tell them not to call."

Then he hung up.

_~ at the hospital ~_

Spencer walked back into the room. Since they didn't even let him to their daughter there was nothing else but waiting, praying, hoping. Maeve's parents were still at her side sitting on chairs next to her bed.

Mary didn't hover over Maeve. "She won't die", she'd said right as he arrived. "She didn't die when she was shot. She won't die now."

Later, when they were all sitting next to Maeve's bed waiting on some news, Mary added: "Our whole family is protected by angelic hosts of guardian angels." Spencer knew she referred to her own cancer as well as to the baby girl. Her life was still hanging by a thread.

Frankly, he had more reasons to fear his daughter's life. Maeve was in a coma, but she was stable and nothing had changed since she'd fallen into the coma minutes after she gave birth to their girl.

Born 3:24 p.m, weighed 1 1/2 pounds, 10 inches tall at 25 weeks premature. She needed constant artificial respiration. She wasn't out of the woods yet and no one really knew if she'll make it...

Maybe it was because he couldn't see her. Maybe it was because he'd never seen her. Maybe it was because she had something to do with Maeve being in a coma. Maybe it was because he'd expected her to arrive in another dozen weeks.

They hadn't even picked a name out yet.

They had a name for a boy. It wasn't really hard. Maeve had chosen Arthur and wasn't willingly to reconsider.

"It sounds similar to Spencer, but it's not too close. I know it's a little bit cheesy, but since 'The Hound of Baskerville' my boy's choice has always been Arthur", she'd said. For the middle name they had chosen Daniel for Spencer's Mom since their daughter could clearly not carry Diana being so close to Diane. But Daniel was okay in Maeve's eyes.

Now this little baby fighting for her life didn't even have a name. But Spencer would never chose a name without Maeve. Even the thought of this choice being taken from him along with her life killed him. He didn't know if he'd be able to live without her. He had already lost her once. He didn't need a remembrance.

"Dr. Reid?" The doctor was familiar to Spencer. Obviously, she was Maeve's gynecologist.

"That would be me!" Literally he jumped of his chair and shook the doctor's hand within seconds. "Is there anything you can tell us?"

"Well, I double checked. Apparently, Maeve suffers from eclampsia. I'm sorry", she replied.

Spencer turned back around and looked at her. Eclampsia. He knew that. He once came across that while working on a case. Maeve hadn't shown any of the classical symptoms, had she?

"We're pretty fond that what she had in the OR was a seizure. This is typical for eclampsia", the doctor went on keeping Spencer from thinking, "Of course, we need some more information to confirm our suspection. Did she show any symptoms like dizziness, severe headaches, extreme vomiting or vision changes?"

Maeve didn't gain weight like a woman with preeclampsia usually would. Actually, she always told him that she temporary lost some. And she never complained about her vision.

"She was dizzy, vomiting and she had severe headaches", Spencer said. He was angry he didn't think this through before. Why didn't he? "She might have never mentioned it, because she thought it was because of her gunshot wound. Before she got pregnant she used to take painkillers. She broke them off after she got pregnant and her headaches got worse. We just assumed... oh god. I should've noticed, shouldn't I?"

Mary appeared behind him placing a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"It's not your fault, Spencer", she said. "She told me about a blurry vision, but I told her to call her neurologist. I'm a Doctor, I could've known."

"Probably it was unpreventable", the doctor interrupted them, "When she came for her 22nd week appointment three weeks ago she was doing fine. She'd always had a high blood pressure, but it wasn't high enough to make the interconnection. It's unusual, though that might mean no harm. She might even recover quite quickly."

"How can you say this? She's in a coma", Spencer almost yelled desperately.

"It's a natural coma. She's got way better chances to wake up again than most people."

"What exactly does that mean", Joe wanted to know. He was standing next to Mary. Spencer felt that he was in good hans yet he was too concerned to think about that. His parents-in-law had accepted him a long time ago. He just didn't realize that so soon. Acceptance wasn't the exact feeling Spencer Reid was used to.

"Honestly, I don't know. She's such an abnormal case. We can just hope for the best. I'm sorry." They all swallowed hard. "I've gotta go. I'll come and check on her later."

"Wait!" It was Joe to stop her.

"Yes?"

"What's about the baby?"

"That's not my business, Sir. You've gotta ask the pediatrician", the doctor apologized. Joe nodded and she took off.

"I'll go look if someone can tell us what's going on with the baby", Joe informed his wife and son-in-law before he left.

Spencer sat down at Maeve's side brushing the bangs out of her face.

"I'm so sorry, Maeve. I should've been there. I'm sorry", he whispered hoping she could hear. He didn't know whether people, who were in a coma could hear or not, he just wished they did.

Maeve... the last time he had talked to her in person she was wearing one of the rare dresses she owned. She had complained about the fact that she still fit into this dress at 24 weeks. He went off to work, off to Oklahoma. She'd gave him a kiss for luck and told him to come back safe and sound. He'd said: "Stay alive and kicking and I'll do the same." Then she'd told him she loved him.

Should this really be the last time ever?


	7. teeny-weeny

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, follows and faves. I'm very happy y'all like it. So I decided I wouldn't keep you waiting any longer. Here we go.**

****Maeve blinked at the light. She could barely see anything. Everything was so bright. She wanted to open her eyes, but she... it was just too hard to keep them open at this light.

She felt numbed. And she didn't hear anything except for her own heartbeat.

Maybe I'm deaf, she thought, Or maybe I'm dead. Maybe this is heaven.

She tried to stretch out on... well, whatever she was laying on. She didn't know that, neither. It felt similar to that one time when she was shot. This time the place was lighter, though, but except for that. She couldn't quite feel her body.

Memories threw her back in time. She was at her parent's house. There was blood beneath her legs. The baby. She shrieked at the memory and it disappeared. She was back at that place trying to open her eyes. Her lids just wouldn't work in the way she wanted them to work. It was hopeless.

Acceptingly she lost the fight against the other force. Her muscles didn't want to work? Fair enough. She wouldn't try to beat them. Maybe she'd even break them.

She was a doctor. She knew what she was thinking was pretty ridiculous. But what else was she supposed to do? If she had locked-in-syndrom her life might stay like that forever.

The geneticist sighed as she was thrown back to another place. She was in a OR and she was screaming. She could turn her head, though. This time she wasn't just watching what she had already seen... She turned her head and looked for something, someone, him. Where was he?

She was pretty sure she just watched the birth of her daughter again, but why wasn't Spencer with them?

Think, she told herself.

"It's a girl", someone said and Maeve turned her attention back to the doctors. One was holding a teeny-weeny baby up. Hell, Maeve wasn't even sure if it was a baby, it was so small. Plus, it didn't scream. She felt herself gasping for some breath. "A girl?" Then her lids fluttered.

Her daughter! Suddenly she realized. She had only been 25 weeks pregnant when her daughter was born. That was why the girl was so tiny. Maeve had to wake up. She had to go and check on her. How long had she been unconscious? She didn't know. And she didn't know what was going on with her child, her daughter.

Maeve tried to contract the muscles that would lift her lid, harder this time. And it worked. They light was bright and almost scared her away to close them again.

Pain filled her body as she slowly recovered from her sleep. It hurt. She clenched her teeth at the unpleasant sensation. Then the pain shot through her lower body and torso as well as her head. The headache was horrible. Her lower stomach hurt, too. She cried out in pain.

*

Spencer looked at his daughter through the glass. Three weeks. It had been three whole weeks since she was born. Maeve didn't get any better since that. He just couldn't watch her anymore. He couldn't hear the sound of the monitors showing that she was alive, but probably going through something only other coma patients could imagine.

During the last couple days he'd read some books about coma and feelings you have while in a coma. It was possible she didn't feel anything. In that case she wouldn't have heard a word of the books he read to her at night. He had almost finished Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and was thinking of Shakespeare (only the comedies, of course) for their next sessions. Those weren't her favourites, though, so he might even read all of Conan Doyle's once more. And again. Until she'd wake up.

Their girl was fighting for her life like one possessed. It was quite promiseful. Of course, no doctor would dare to tell him she was safe and sound by now. She was doing well, gaining weight, growing constantly. Yet she couldn't breathe on her own. No one knew about the birth defects the premature birth might have caused.

Spencer didn't care, though. He prayed to god to let her live. But if his daughter's life was going to be painful only, he didn't even want it anymore. Although he felt bad for thinking so.

"You're so brave", he whispered touching the window with his fingers. Probably he wouldn't be allowed to hold her for another three weeks. It was hard to watch her fight and suffer when he couldn't even touch her.

Ridiculous. If Maeve would've been conscious she could have touched her. They might have even layed her down at her mother's chest. This, apparently, helped premature born babies or babies at all to get the rhythm of breathing. But since Maeve couldn't hold their baby they couldn't try that. Plus, frankly, it would've been quite creepy to put her there.

The team send a lot of stuff, but nothing like the stuff you usually send to fledgling parents. Probably, because they knew a teddy bear could upset him later, when his daughter was dead.

Ridiculous. Henry had a lot of stuff and he could be driven over by a car every day. Not that Spencer wished for anything like this. It just was like that, matter of factly. And there was nothing to do about that. Death was unstoppable. How depressing.

His little baby girl wore a blindfold, so that the light wouldn't gouge her eyes out. Maeve once tried a blindfold on him like she had promised. It really made him feel better about them, yet right now he would've rather preferred to see her eyes. He would've liked to see the new life shining in them. He would've liked to see happiness and joy. Except he could only watch her behind glass.

Spencer fisted his hand in frustration. This just wasn't fair.

After talking to a lot of doctor's and everything he and Maeve's parents had decided that it would be best for all of them to work part-time. Usually, Spencer dropped out of the hospital deep in the night to get some sleep before he went to work. When he was done working at around three he'd come to the hospital. Most of the time he'd just wait and nobody would come along and tell him some, because there was nothing to tell.

It was frustrating as hell. But he couldn't live on at home and pretend they were safe and sound. He couldn't pretend they were at this damn hospital for nothing and nothing at all. They were sick.

He couldn't blame himself for not being there anymore. He had to quit brooding on the past. Carrying responsibility for both his wife and daughter in all their health questions was frazzled him out. He was happy Mary and Joe supported him.

He could go to them and ask them for help when he wasn't able to make a quick decision. Yet the thought of always having the entire liability for their daughter in case Maeve wouldn't make him freaked him out.

Somebody touched his shoulder. "Dr. Reid?"

"Hm?"

"Your wife, she just woke up."

*

"MAEVE", Spencer yelled as he entered the room. She was sitting in her bed upright.

"Spence", she smiled as she saw him. Though she still felt very dizzy she didn't feel like laying down. One of the doctors had just told her she'd been in a coma for three weeks. That was a lot to make up leeway. And she needed to know about their daughter. They had told her about the condition she had, but no one let a word slip about their child.

Spencer couldn't hold himself back. He rushed towards her and pulled her into a hug, whether a nurse was still drawing blood from her. The nurse snorted, but she didn't say a word.

"I... I... Oh, Maeve... I'm so happy you're awake... I can't tell... You can't imagine." He sobbed into her gown. She stroked his back reassuringly. Finally, he could cry after all those weeks.

The nurse left with the blood. "Don't make it too long", she told them before leaving, "You're still sick and you need rest. Especially after the coma."

After she had left Maeve wanted to ask all the questions she needed to be answered, but she could tell how exhausted her husband was. She couldn't blame him for that. He'd been up three weeks fearing for her and probably their daughter. So she narrowed her questions down to those, which seemed most important.

"So, how is she?" As he didn't answer immediately Maeve was scared away. "She isn't dead, is she?"

"No, no... she isn't dead. When she was born she was 1 1/2 pounds and 10 inches. She's gained some weight and grew, but not much. She's on artificial respiration. They want to try without it tomorrow, though, they think her lungs are well enough developed. At least, they want to try. And she's tube-fed." He talked slowly. Maeve felt her eyes filling with tears at his words and soon enough they dropped down from her cheek. Spencer brushed over it. "She's a fighter. She'll make it", he copied the words his mother-in-law told him previously.

Maeve swallowed her tears. She had to ask him the other questions preying on her mind.

"Do you think I might see her?"

"I've seen her", he replied unsure what to say, "Through glass, though. But they said if you'd be conscious they even might try laying her on your chest for a while?"

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

*

"She's so tiny", Maeve whispered. Spencer was sitting at her side, while the nurse placed their baby on her chest. The little girl had been off the breathing machine for one week now and she did astonishing well. Meanwhile Maeve had to recover. Her muscles were a little degraded due to her laying in the bed for three weeks. She had to take physiotherapy, but she was adapting pretty quick.

"You have to be careful", the nurse told them, "The best is you don't move at all." She placed Maeve's hands on the baby lying on her mother face-to-chest.

"Thank you", Maeve said. "We will."

"If something happens, ring the bell. Else I'll come by and pick her up in a quarter." The nurse left leaving the three Reids alone for the first time.

Some minutes the newly parents spend just looking at their daughter, who was now breathing constantly. She'd made great strides since she was born. Amazingly, she could breath herself now being only one month old.

Both Spencer and Maeve knew that their time at the NICU wasn't yet to be over. They did also know that when the end of that time would come it could mean a redirection to special care. They didn't know whether their daughter would spend another month or a year at the hospital before they would be able to take her home.

But now was good.

"I found a name for her", Maeve announced after five minutes had passed.

"Yeah? How?" Spencer was surprised. She gave him a smile. "I'd rather ask which If I was knew. Anyways, I used that name book J.J left."

Spencer blinked his eyes. He hadn't even noticed his coworker/friend visiting.

"Two days ago when Henry contused his right feet they were here for x-rays. She stopped by and dropped it off", Maeve told her husband. Not willingly to move her hands she added: "It's on the nightstand, first drawer."

The profiler opened the stand and found the book.

"There's a bookmark on that certain page."

He opened it and looked at the names. Precarious he took a guess. "Bronwyn? Well... that's interesting."

Maeve chuckled slightly and he knew he'd picked the wrong name.

"Actually, I was leaning towards Bridget", she told him. He followed her lead finding the name.

Bridget (Brighid)  
origin: Celtic/Irish  
meaning: strong

"I like it", he said after a while.

"I was thinking the meaning would fit her", Maeve told him. "What do you think baby girl? Do you like Bridget?"

The baby didn't do anything. Apparently, she had fallen asleep.

"I think she likes it", her father decided wisely.

"So it's Bridget then", Maeve clarified.

"Yeah", Spencer said, "Our teeny-weeny Bridget."

*

Derek Morgan smiled as he checked his mail. A colorful card was shining at him.

_Bridget Everly Reid_  
_*22.6.2014_  
_1 1/2 pounds, 10 inches_  
_We're overjoyed._

"Finally", the profiler said as he walked up the stairs to his apartment happily humming a song.

**A/N: Awww... it's so fluffy I'm gunna die... Any guesses where ****_Everly _****came from? =) **


	8. finally

**A/N: So here we go. Another fluff of the lovely Reids. 8 chapters already, I'm stunned.**

**Explanation: Everly is a mix of Eva and Emily. I thought Reid would might consider Emily, but Everly contains ever, so I thought it would fit their child way better. I know Everly has a different meaning, but I like to think of her name as 'ever strong'.**

**What do you want to see next?**

****After 173 days at the NICU the Reids could finally bring Bridget home. Spencer was very nervous. He still feared that, like the last time, her discharge would be canceled in the last minute. Maeve was way more excited.

They'd spend days coloring her room. After that they'd completely furnished it. Something they had planned for the time when their daughter was already two months old.

Spencer had purchased some painting by a children's book illustrator he liked himself as a child. They'd bought children books, too and put them into the shelf in the nursery. Mary, Joe, Diana and even William brought some stuff for their grandchild along. Now that everyone was pretty sure she'd make it their colleagues presented toys to them. All in all Bridget's chamber looked liked the room of a very spoiled child.

Maeve was through with her therapy. At least, for now. If they'd decide to have another child she would need special care, because she was on a high risk for another eclampsia. She was discharged from hospital four months prior to their daughter, yet she'd spend the last four months visiting.

Both of them decided to go back to work, though. Spencer had already been to other locations and Maeve had already spend some days alone again. There was nothing they could really do for Bridget, though. Except for making horrible decisions that would rule her entire life.

Retinopathy of Prematurity, ROP for short. Normally kids with this disease would undergo a lot of operation to save some of their vision. Unfortunately, they found out about it too late. ROP is devided into stages, 1 being the most harmless, 5 being the worst. When discovered Bridget was already a stage 4 patient. Since she wasn't in a good condition back then the doctors didn't want to operate immediately. The risk of her dying during the operation was just too high.

When the doctors told them she would most likely loose her vision they wanted her to be operated of course, but when they heard about the risk they decided for the opposite. At an age of 4 1/2 months Bridget had lost her sight. Now she was six months old.

He couldn't believe it. Even know with both of his girls sitting right at his side in the car he couldn't believe it. It had been so long. Bridget was soundly asleep in her baby seat. He couldn't turn and look at her, because he had to drive, but he had the rearview mirror in a place he could see her. Meanwhile Maeve had her head leaned up against the window smiling contently.

"I still can't believe it", she said as they had to stop at some traffic lights. "We're family."

Spencer froze as he realized she was right. Bridget had been their child from birth, but they weren't in charge of her for six months. Rarely they were allowed to feed her and carry her. They gained more changes on that during the months in the NICU, though. But they were never alone with her. What if they failed?

He looked at his wife and thought: No. With her at his side he'd never fail.

As they arrived at their apartment Spencer felt his heart beating against his chest. Their first day home. Their first day as a 'real' family. He really was nervous.

Maeve didn't make any attempts to grab the baby seat. She was always challenging Spencer. He'd told her how nervous he felt. He wasn't sure if they'd make it alone, while she was very fond they could. Carefully he grabbed the seat and managed to get her out of the car without waking her.

This gained him a kiss from his beautiful wife. "We should rush to get inside. It's cold." Somehow Maeve'd managed to get the stuff from the trunk without Spencer noticing. He took a deep breath in.

Content. That was how he felt right now. Nervous, yet content. They had December 19th today. They'd celebrate Bridget's first Christmas at home. When Maeve called him almost six months ago he would have never dared to dream of that.

Maeve pushed the door open and let him in. It was quiet at the stairway. Apparently, their neighbors were all off to work or something. Not that the profiler would've minded. He wasn't up to any 'shesohsocute'-talk right now.

They hadn't planned anything special for today. "It will be special of it's own accord", Maeve had said. Plus, they both knew it could go wrong. Luckily, it didn't.

"Welcome home, Bridget", Spencer whispered as he followed Maeve into their apartment.

"We've gotta get her to bed", Maeve ordered. She put the stuff she'd carried down without thinking too much. It didn't matter anyways. All that mattered was in the baby seat.

Together, the three of them went into the bedroom. They didn't want her to sleep in the nursery next door, at least not now. Though she almost slept through, Bridget had to get a meal every four hours to hold her weigth and promote her growth. And they both felt safer with her sleeping in their room.

As they watched their baby girl finally sleeping in her own crib they couldn't help, but cry. It had been such a long way to their well deserved happiness. From Maeve's almost death, over eclampsia, premature birth and come to the ROP it had been hard for them. They were happy to finally come home.


	9. family (for Michou7)

**A/N: So, I gave it a shot. Hope you like it, Michou7.**

**If any of you have another idea in mind just tell me. =)**

At first, Jason Gideon hesitated. Dr. Spencer Reid had written him letters ever since he left the BAU. Not much, but one a year, at least. Since he couldn't really be sure If his letter would arrive at the right Gideon's house he had to copy his letter. Sometimes Jason recieved the original, sometimes a copy. They always started in the same way, though.

_Dear Mr. Gidon,_  
_my name is Dr. Spencer Reid. This letter is supposed to be for a friend of mine, who disappeared not leaving an adress. I really hope you're this friend of mine. Else it would be nice If you could inform me about my mistake, either by e-mail or letter (contact details below). I'm sorry If I bothered you. I'm happy If I found you._  
_Sincerly,_  
_Dr. Spencer Reid_

After that the real letter was attached. It usually dealed with matters of no real consequence, which was so not Reid that it had Gideon curious right from the first letter. But he wasn't ready to answer the first letter. Not the second, either. It went on like that until the 13th letter he'd recieved two weeks ago.

Normally, Reid's letters were about 4 pages long. They quite serene. Never telling to much, but yet enough for Gideon to follow his friend's path through life. This time the letter was short. One page only and this one page wasn't even clean delineated.

_Dear Gideon,_  
_I'm sorry for not writing you until today. It's been half a year. I'm pretty sure I've got your right adress now, but I won't come over to visit, because I think you should be visiting us. The Christmas party starts at 4 p.m. on the 24th. It would be a blast to see you there._  
_I think it's time for you to meet some really great people._  
_Just ask for me once you're there._  
_Up for some chess?_  
_Reid_

Gideon had already noticed Reid's language developing, but this letter seemed so un-Reid-ish. It was fascinating and scaring him at the same time. When he looked at Stephen, who'd grown so much the last seven years he wanted to go and see the others. Reid wrote him about son Henry. Gideon would've liked to check on her and make sure she was happy. Even more he wanted to check on Reid to see if he was happy. But seeing Hotch again...

Well, let's say he didn't feel like they'd parted in great peace. He didn't know whether it was worth it. And still he was standing outside the building right now. His colleagues and friends just two floors up. It took him a lot courage to walk inside.

He was sweating as he went and told the receptionist that he was up to see Dr. Reid. It was weird. Formerly, he had just shown his badge to everyone when he was inside that building. Though he hadn't done that in years it still felt weird, especially at this place.

"Dr. Reid? Here's a..." The receptionist furrowed her brows.

"Jason Gideon."

"A Mr. Gideon to see you... Alright, Sir, I'll send him up." A little irritated, the recipionist hung up the phone and made an attempt to show Gideon the elevators.

"I know where they are, thank you", he refused.

"Alright. Have a nice visit."

Damn, he was nervous!  
As he stepped out of the elevator there was no Reid behind the door waiting for him. Though this jarred him he didn't want to let this show. He walked down the floor and spotted some of his colleagues. J.J was sitting in the right corner, a blonde boy sitting on her lap. He seemed to be around six years old. He seemed like he was in need of a haircut. Reid had told him about Henry being his tiny protégé.

There was the tech-assistant... what was her name again? Gracie? No. Garcia. Yeah, that seemed right. She'd changed her hair color. Derek was sitting next to her. He seemed to be fine. Plus, he seemd more mature than the last time he'd seen him. Hotch was there, too.

Gideon turned his eyes away from him quite quickly. Else he was unfamiliar with the faces and people he saw. Reid was nowhere to be found. Gideon swallowed and turned around. He just couldn't...

"Hi, Gideon", Reid said bluntly.

"Reid." There was nothing else Gideon could think of to say. He scrutinized him from the top to the bottom whereas Reid did the same. Reid had his hair cut a little and he was properly shaved as usually. He still wore his same dorky clothes. But just like Derek he seemed more mature now then when Gideon left. He'd improved a lot and apparently, this wasn't the whole story.

The profiler was softly pushing a buggy forward and backward, rocking the baby inside. The baby wasn't older than a year. Gideon would've reckoned the baby being four months old by size. It shocked him, though. Reid never made a noise about having a girlfriend, never mind a baby.

"You..."

"Yes, she's mine", Reid clarified proudly. "It's one of the reasons I asked you to come. I wanted you to meet her... Thank you for coming." Reid was beaming ear to ear. He almost forgot to rock his daughter's buggy about that.

"Wow... well, congratulations." Gideon couldn't help. He brushed through the hair he'd left. A baby. He would've never expected that.

"Thank you."

"How old is she", he asked after a silent minute had passed in which they'd both just watched the baby's sweet slumber.

"She's six months and two days today" , Reid told him. As he recognized Gideon furrowing his brows he added: "She was born at 25 weeks premature. There was a lot she'd to catch up on. Actually, we just brought her home from the NICU last week."

"Oh." Gideon couldn't help, but think how grateful he was for having a healthy son born at 37 weeks. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be", Reid assured him. The buggy still between them. Both of them desired a hug after the long time. But he wasn't yet ready to take the last obstacle away. "She's alive and happy, nothing else matters, really."

The baby girl yawned and blinked her tiny eyes. At the sight, Gideon blinked his eyes just to make sure he wasn't mistaking. "She's blind", he blurted. It was rather a statement than a question.

"Yeah." Reid looked hearbroken. "It was unpreventable."

"I'm sorry", Gideon said.

"Oh really, it's not necessary. I've read 81 books about how to raise a blind child already. I think we're good and Maeve... Maeve's just lovely. She talks all day."

"So it's Maeve? Nice choice", Gideon guessed.

"No..." Reid chuckled, while his daughter was showing the opposite of that expression. "It's Bridget. Maeve's my wife."

It slipped from his lips so easily, so naturally, that it impressed Reid himself.

"You're married?"

"Almost for two years", Reid nodded shyly. Before Gideon could say anything else, Bridget started to cry.

Gideon went to his knees to check on her and Reid joined him.

"Probably she needs a new diaper?"

"Nah, I don't think so. Just changed her half an hour ago... she's just confused." Gideon gave him a uncomprehending expression. "She's blind", Reid explained, "She doesn't know where she is. Wouldn't that confuse you, too?" It actually turned out to be snappier than planned. "Sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"It's not a problem. What we gotta do about it", Gideon asked pointing to still crying Bridget.

"Uhm... Usually my voice helps her, but... she knows Maeve's way better than mine. I'll go get her. If you'd just..." Reid pointed to Bridget in a self explaining gesture.

"Sure. Go ahead."

Gideon looked at the baby. She was still crying. Her eyes were looking at nothing and they didn't have Reid's eye color. They were blue like the say, but with a milky shade to it. Her head was covered by a red baby cap only and she didn't seem to grow hair yet.

Bridget. Gideon liked this name choice. As it seemed to took Reid hours to gather his wife Gideon tried talking to her.

"Hi, Bridget...", he said. He looked her deep into those eyes and though they weren't of the same color as Reids he found some of Reid in it.

God. He'd missed all of that. Reid was now a married man. He even had a child. Knowing Reid he assumed that he'd known Bridget's mother way longer before they got serious and had their child... How old was Reid now, 34? When he'd left he still in his twenties.

Would Reid have told him about his girlfriend if he'd been there? Would he have given his makeshift son advise on women if he'd been there? Would he have reassured Reid after his child was born premature if he'd been there?

Gideon started brushing through is hair in frustration again when suddenly he felt tiny, chubby hands on his face. he looked up and saw Bridget reaching for him. She was pulling at his cheeks, trailing her hand over his nose and... he quickly closed his eyes so that she wouldn't poke them.

When he opened them again the girl was done exploring his face. She was done crying, too. Her blank eyes glared his direction and though he knew she couldn't see him he felt like she was watching him. Waiting for him to make a move.

"Hi, Bridget", he said, more softly this time. He reached a hand out and took one of her hands in his. Both would have fit in twice.

Her mouth wrinkled and she... she smiled. She smiled the smile of a strong baby who'd been in the NICU for almost her whole life to that day. And she gave that smile to him.

Gideon stroked her hand softly.

He might've missed all of it, but he wouldn't go on missing it. After all, he had some kind of a granddaughter now.


	10. good morning

**A/N: Another fluff for you... wow, I can't believe this is already 10 chapters long... =) Please tell me your thoughts and suggestions.**

****"Good morning." Spencer kissed his wife's forehead softly. She smiled.

"Morning", she replied sleepily. Maeve gave a yawn and sat up to get a glimpse at the clock on the night stand. "10:21?" She was rather surprised.

Spencer nodded smiling.

"Wow, I think I last woke up at 3'o'clock", she wondered. Then her happy expression changed and concern was drawn upon the young woman's face.

"I checked on her one hour ago. Safe and sound", Spencer reassured her. Maeve sighed and leaned back into the pillows facing him.

"How come you're still here anyways", Maeve asked playfully, though she really didn't seem to mind his presence. "Isn't it Tuesday?"

"Yeah, but Hotch gave us a gew days off as long as there's no new case." Spencer gave a crooked smile. "We have to make up for the weekend."

Maeve cuddled a little closer. "I like that", she told him smiling back.

They stayed like that for awhile. Just until their silence was interrupted by a demanding cry.

"So, I guess she's up yet", Maeve annotated sitting up again.

"Well, I don't complain", Spencer said, "I haven't seen her in five days."

"Liar. You said you checked on her one hour ago." Liar had been a word she couldn't say for a long time. Both of them were surprised as it slipped so easily from her lips.

"Yeah, you're right", Spencer confessed, "But I haven't talked to her yet."

Maeve got up from the bed akimbo. "Well, how about that: You go and dress her while I fix all of us some breakfast?"

Spencer nodded contently. "My cup is overflowing."

She rolled her eyes jokingly and laughed, but he knew she knew it was true. "That's quite possible. Now go and take care of her or I'll do it myself."

He followed her into the hallway where they parted.

Bridget was already up, hands clutched to the sticks of her crib. For a eleven-month-old premature born blind toddler she was pretty well adapting. She could sit upright and she could repeat things, people told her. But usually she'd stick to the few words she knew the meaning of. Bridget's blue eyes - god, had he prayed for them to stay this way and was he happy they looked like Maeve's - glared at the wall behind him. Her face was in a shade of pink from crying, although she hadn't waited for that long.

"Hey, Bridget. Already up today?" He reached down and grabbed her. She smiled shyly.

"Daddy?" She knew his voice, but she needed to make sure. Her hands reached up for his face and she touched it. Used to it he closed his eyes. Smiling wider this time she confirmed: "Daddy!"

""Yeah, that's right." She cuddled into his chest.

"Let's get you dressed and then we'll have breakfast." He knew she probably wouldn't answer, but he always talked to her in a mature way. Both he and Maeve rejected baby talk and since Bridget needed to touch all the things she had to learn the words of, it made more sense to talk seriously.

It was weird. Spencer and Maeve liked silence from time to time. But with Bridget, they were always talking or at least listening to music. Bridget loved music and was quite responsible to it. She was sensetive, either. While she would cry at most music playing on the radio, she seemed to really like Piazzolla, Mozart, Saint-Säens, Pachelbel and even to J.J's favourite, Walk off the Earth.

Some pathologist they had cooperated with some months ago had introduced her to Heavy Metal and that, she liked, too. But she would rarely ever listen to it. They didn't even have CDs.

He changed her diaper and then dressed her into a blue dress, red tights and a matching cardigan. Bridget always got pretty dirty over the day. Apparently, Maeve had music playing by now. It wasn't really loud, Spencer could barely hear it himself, though she was two rooms away, but Bridget sat up and begun a slight rocking motion.

Spencer chuckled at the sight. She was so freaking adorable. He picked her up and jerked her on his hip. "C'mon, Bridget. Let's have some breakfast?"

And as he walked over to the kitchen he could hear his daughter humming along with the melodie.

**A/N: About the music... I guess you all know Mozart, but you might not have heard of Piazzolla and if you haven't listened to Walk off the Earth I request you to do it now. They're awesome.**


	11. growing

**A/N: Be warned - there's a time jump of three years here. I'm open to any suggestions. Please suggest, I'm running out of ideas slowly.**

****It had been two weeks since Spencer had seen his girls face-to-face. He couldn't believe they'd already spend two weeks here. Their unsub killed slowly. Every Thursday someone died and they had yet to explore the reasons. Nothing made sense. The first one to die was a 38 year old lawyer, who'd been divorced shortly before. Then there was a 14 year old boy, who was a well behaved pupil and beloved by everyone. After that a mother of twins and today a retiree. It was hopeless.

The only thing that could cheer him up was the daily skype time with Maeve and Bridget. Spencer booted his laptop and started skype. Maeve was already there as always. She was one of the accuratest person he knew, if not the accuratest. Bridget was nowhere to be seen.

"Hi", Maeve greeted waving at him.

"Hey. How're you doing?"

"We're fine." Maeve was beaming ear to ear. Apparently, she'd had a better day than her dear husband. "How are you?"

"Fine." Spencer cleared his throat and took a sip of his water. He couldn't sleep well these days. He was up thinking most of the time, but he didn't want to tell Maeve that. She shouldn't worry about him. Once they'd catch the unsub he'd be sleeping like a baby.

"You sure?" She furrowed her brows. "Because, you look like you haven't had any sleep... Bridget, put that down, that's gramps'... Sorry, I got to..." Maeve gestured towards the spot Bridget was suspectingly causing a mess. She was a pretty accurate three-year-old and always on the move.

"You go ahead."

Maeve didn't need to be told twice. Seconds later she returned to her laptop carrying a wriggly Bridget. To the toddler skype wasn't really pleasing. When she reached forward to touch her Daddy's face she'd only reach the screen and be told not to touch it. And to hear her Daddy's voice Bridget clearly preferred the hands-free set.

"So, back to your sleep", Maeve demanded. Spencer sighed. He'd hoped she would quit the theme with Bridget entering the conversation. But of course she didn't. "How long have you been awake?"

"Three days", he admitted shyly.

"But Spence, you know that's not good for you. How're your headaches?"

Spencer wasn't sure whether he should tell her everything or just parts. No, he wouldn't lie at her. That just wouldn't be fair. "I've had some, but not too bad."

"Did you start the therapy again", Maeve asked frowning. Concern usually caused frowns with her.

"No." Bridget reached forward. She grizzled as Maeve took her hands and pulled them back.

"Then go and get the meds tomorrow. I'll write you a prescription and e-mail it", Maeve told him, "The sooner you start it the higher your chances to stop it again in time."

"Yeah, I'll do that. Thank you."

"No problem, really."

Meanwhile Bridget had decided to leave it alone and was busy playing with her mother's hair. She loved that wavy hair. Since she hadn't grown more than a fluff yet she was fascinated by women with long hair. Whenever Maeve, J.J, Penelope or anyone with long hair would carry her around she'd be grabbing for the hair and analyzing it in her very blindish way. Namely, she would first touch, then smell and then chew on it.

"Well, what did you two do today?"

Really, it was all he wanted to hear right now. He liked it when Maeve told him about her day. He wouldn't want to tell about his day, eitherway. It was still Thursday and there was one week left until their next chance to avoid a murder. One week he wouldn't spend at home. And in case they wouldn't catch him, they'd have already stayed for a month.

"Oh, nothing special really." She gave him a mischievious smile. "I worked till noon and then I picked Bridget up and we went to the mall."

"Did you enjoy the mall, Bridget", Spencer asked.

"Yeah..." Bridget ringed her fingers. It was strange that she had this habit, though she didn't even look down at them. No one knew where she got that from.

Maeve bend down to her daughter's face and rubbed the toddler's belly making her giggle. "You wanna show Daddy, what we bought for you today?"

Bridget nodded brightly. She put her arms up so that Maeve could remove the blue pullover she was wearing. When she did Bridget was left wearing a t-shirt with a pretty distinct imprint.

There was a little pink stick girl standing next to two words. Spencer read them once. Twice. They didn't change. They still said: Big sisters.

Both of his girls were smiling by now. Bridget, because she was happy and waiting for some recognition, Maeve, because she was happy and because of the face he made, though she'd never admit that. He just couldn't save his face at those breaking news. After a while of silent thoughts - he'd be a Dad again, gosh! - Maeve asked:  
"So what do you think?"

"Honestly?" He swallowed as she nodded biting her lower lip. "I'm stunned."

Maeve's "A good or a bad kind of being stunned" was cheerfully interrupted by Bridget asking: "Do you like me, Daddy?"

Spencer could help but chuckle. He knew Bridget was referring to her t-shirt and not to herself, whether her asking if he liked her was really cute.

"I love you and your t-shirt, Bridget. It fits you very well", he told her. Bridget seemed to be happy with that and turned her attention back to her mother's hair.

"So?" Maeve was still smiling, but way more shy this time. When she told him that she was pregnant she'd shown an similar expression, but it wasn't quite the same. Her eyes were huge and glowing while her mouth was slightly opened in anticipation. Though he was miles away he felt like the first time when she was pregnant. Back then he considered her holy.  
After Bridget was born he couldn't touch her like he had before for a long time even after she awoke from her coma. She'd changed then. She'd given birth to their daughter, let alone carried her for five months taking good care of her even if that meant to change her habits. Maeve was angelic to him for a long time. She hadn't completely lost it and he doubted that she ever would, but his attitude towards her had developed and he could touch her like he had before. Well, apparently he could.

And in this moment Spencer reached forward to touch the screen and brush over it just like their three-year-old.

"I love you", he whispered, though Bridget wouldn't have noticed anyways.

Maeve blinked her eyes to get rid off the tears. "Stupid hormones", she murmured before she replied: "I love you, too."

And when he shut his laptop three hours later when Bridget was in her bed and Maeve was probably getting ready for bed the profiler lay down on his hotel bed and fell asleep over his thoughts. The next day he went to get his drugs and with the taste of the beautiful secret he carried on his tongue he successed to find their unsub before the next murder happen.

Never let it be said that family should be separated from work.


	12. we walk

**A/N: Thank you to all of you, who're reading and reviewing this story. It means a lot and I really think I don't show my appreciation well enough, I'm sorry. I hope you still like it though.**

**And ****_please s_****uggest something! I'm running out of ideas + it's getting all too fluffy and the same and... really, they don't deserve that, do they?**

****"So?" Maeve frowned. She was sitting on a lounger clutching her husband's left hand so hard he wasn't sure whether there still was flow of blood. Not that he cared. Spencer was to busy preparing himself for bad news.

It was Maeve's thirteenth appointment. He'd joined her whenever he could, though he was pretty panicing himself. Her chance of getting preeclampsia was so high both of them expected her doctor to just say she had it. Each week they feared the results of her blood test.

Now, 24 weeks pregnant, the fear was overwhelming. One week to go until their baby would be as old as Bridget, when she was born. Although she was the joy of their lives they didn't really need a repeat of her first months alive. She still had to go to the hospital so often to run tests and check her development. Bridget herself wasn't complaining anymore. She was used to people poking her with needles and all the same questions she and her parents would be asked and all the new and familiar faces she would touch. She was a toddler. She accepted the fact. She didn't think about new issues that could be revealed. This burden she gracefully left for her parents, who would never stop fearing her health.

Today she wasn't with them. Her godmother had decided to take her and Henry for a trip to the zoo. Henry could rarely ever make time since he started school and a million of hobbies, of which he didn't like anything, but swimming. Bridget was busy going to therapies and only recently kindergarten. It took them some time to find a kindergarten with parents tolerant enough to let Bridget play with their kids. Now that they'd found it they were very pleased.

"Well, it seems like your pulse isn't racing, you breathe normally, weight gain is just fine. Your urine seems fine, but we'll have it tested and I'll give you a call... other than that..." Dr. Abrams, so the name of Maeve's gynecologist, trundled over with her chair on casters and a tiny hammer to check Maeve's reflexes.

Dr. Abrams tapped Maeve's knee and her leg bounced back, but just lightly. The same happened with her other knee. Dr. Abrams nodded contently. This was good.

"Any vision changes?" Maeve shook her head no.

"Headaches?" This time Maeve nodded.

"From time to time", she replied, "But I'm not sure whether it's my usual headaches or not."

Dr. Abrams nodded understandigly. "I wouldn't worry too much, but If you experience anything you did while pregnant with your first just come here immediately..." Then the doctor turned her attention back to her computer entering all the symptoms Maeve did and didn't have. "Abdominal pain? Lower back pain? Any pain at all?"

"Nothing except for the headaches. I don't even have usual back pain.", Maeve said and she was smiling at that. Spencer squeezed her hand in comfort. He'd made sure she didn't bite more than she could chew.

"I guess, you're fine. But I'd like to schedule another appointment in two weeks", Dr. Abrams said. "Would the 23rd work for you?"

Maeve nodded. She was running the place she was working at. She could do like anything she wanted. Spencer thought about whether there was something planned for that day and then came to the thought that he never knew whether he could join or not.

"Well, then 23rd, same time", Dr. Abrams said. She shook both Maeve and Spencer's hand and wished them all the best. They walked out with their hand in hand with eachother.

"I'm happy", Maeve told him when they stepped out of the hospital and into the sun.

"Yeah", Spencer replied smiling, "Me too."

They'd parked her car just one block away, but she stopped him pointing towards the park. "Why don't we take a walk? There's no one waiting on us until seven anyways."

"Whatever you like", he said.

The weather was nice and the flowers were blooming. And as he walked through the park with his wife Spencer thought that there could be no better place for their child to be born into, at least not now.


	13. keys

**A/N: Here you go. Another chapter. Thanks to this I had the opportunity to listen to "Red hands" like... I don't know 10 times? Awesome... :D**

**Sue1313 suggested twins. What do you guys think? And what do you think of this?**

**Thanks for reviewing and reading. It means a lot.**

It was half past four when Spencer woke up for the third time that night.

The first time, Maeve had had a nightmare so she shouted the house down. Lucky for her she drifted off easily back into sleep. Unfortunately, Spencer didn't. But at least Bridget had inherited this gift and was asleep soon after she was woken by her mother's screams.

The second time, Spencer himself had a nightmare. You might as well be hanged for a shep as a lamb. He woke up sweating and coughing, but Maeve was already up reassuring him. He felt like having one of those panic attacks. It took him quite a while to relax. Maeve, of course, was asleep soon after.

When he woke up for the third time that night he'd been asleep for two hours only. But he had a light sleep and there was definitely something going on in their house.

He blinked and found Maeve sitting upright in the bed. Her eyes drowsy and hair tussled all over the place. They'd made it to 7th month already and Dr. Abrams raised hope for at least another month, although Maeve started showing symptoms some days ago.

"What's that noise", Spencer asked sleepily.

"Bree, I guess", Maeve replied. She gave him a pleading smile. "Will you go check on her?"

He could never refuse her anyways. Both his girls had him wrapped around their little finger. "Of course", he said. "Go back to sleep."

She didn't need to be told twice. Contently she snuggled back into her blanket. Spencer couldn't help but kiss her forehead and stomach before he slipped out of bed. He was tired, yes, he was. But he was also very happy.

Sleep still clouding his mind he walked down the hallway into the living room, which's door was opened. What he saw there melted his heart.

His four-year-old strawberry-blonde, blue eyed daughter sitting at his keyboard, tiny hands tickling ebony and ivory...

"Hey, Bridget. What's up?"

She turned around and her eyes just missed him. Her hands reached out, but he wasn't yet as close and they were met with air. But she'd gained trust. Touching faces was still her usual habit, but she was fine skipping it sometimes. "I want music."

Bridget pointed somewhere near the keyboard, because her body was yet turned towards him. Her spatial imagination was pretty good, though, considering her age. "It doesn't work, Daddy."

He smiled. "You got to turn it on, Bridget. Shall I show you how?"

She nodded and clapped her hands in agreement. "Yes, you show me!"

Spencer kept himself from chuckling. He couldn't really deny how adorable she was. Even though she turned four some weeks ago. He managed to sit down next to her and Bridget immediately took advantage of the situation. She climbed into her father's lap and leaned herself up against his chest so that she was in a comfortable position. She almost reached his shoulder's sitting there. She was growing so fast.

Somehow the profiler got a glimpse of the clock. 5:42. Well, at least he'd have some Daddy-time with his princess before he'd go to work.

"Daddy..."

"You've gotta be patient, Bridget. Else people will stop showing you stuff", he told her. He was worried about her falling patience. She'd been more patient before, but since she got the news of becoming a big sister she was more bossy and less patient. She grizzled much more than before and was very restive. She'd always been stubborn especially when it came to things she couldn't properly do herself yet, but lately she seeked her parents' company. She also got frustrated easily when she couldn't help herself.

She was scared and everyone could see. But the only thing they could do to help her was parenting the best they could. Screw 5:42.

"First thing we do is turning on." Spencer pushed the button, Bridget's hand in his. He then hit some keys to proof that it worked. After he'd turned it back off Bridget demanded: "Turn it back on."

"No, Bridget. I want you to turn it on", he argued softly encouraging her. Bridget's hands ran over the keyboard until she found the right button. She succeded and he hit some keys to make her hear.

"I turned it on, Daddy. Did you see", she exclaimed happily.

"Yeah, Bridget. I saw that. You did good", he improved. Bridget of course wasn't in for waiting. Unpatiently she hit the keys, but didn't smile at what she heard. Actually, she flinched at the dissonantial sound.

"Not nice", the toddler juged. She tried again, but that sound wasn't any more harmonial.

"Try one key at once", Spencer told her. Bridget touched one key and asked: "Key?"

"Yes, Bridget, that's a key."

Concentrated she tried a third time hitting one key only. She chose an E and Spencer played an E major transposed down by an octave. Bridget considered the sound and smiled.

"That's better. Again." She hit a D and Spencer, realizing it was one of the most used chords in nursery rhymes played the first bars of "The little teapot". He kept guessing songs appealing to Bridget's keys until the toddler decided that she'd had enough.

"Breakfast, Daddy? I'm hungry", she asked innocently.

"Of course." It was already a quarter past six by now anyways. He got up carrying Bridget on his hip and turned around to find Maeve leaning against the doorframe.  
She held a camera in her hands and her smile was glowing.

She didn't need to say it out loud. This was theirs. And this was perfect.


	14. short

**A/N: Sorry for not updating for 2 months... I know I'm bad. :( I just can't really write this story any longer. I'll write another chapter to end it, but I'm running out of ideas and inspiration. Considering the way Criminal Minds goes I can't really recall Maeve & Reid anymore... Sorry.**

Maeve gave birth at 32 weeks, exactly one month before her due date.

It was inevitable. The eclampsia was getting dangerous at this point and the doctors wouldn't risk Maeve's life to keep a fetus of 8 months gestational age inside her womb.

They were lucky, though. Everything went well. Maeve insisted on having a natural birth since she couldn't have that with Bridget and it was something she wanted to experience. Whether she was swearing and cursing all the time she didn't really seem to mind as they placed the newborn baby into her arms. Another girl.

If Maeve did really care for the boy she'd wished for she didn't show it. She was very exhausted, yet she pulled all her strenght together not letting the baby out of her sight. Or Spencer's supervision, at least. There was nothing to worry about, luckily. Their kid was perfectly healthy for someone born one month too early. She breathed on her own and her vision was fine. One or two weeks in the NICU and she'd be send home.

They hadn't picked a name out yet. Since Maeve had insisted she was having a boy they didn't look for girl names at all. Maeve didn't like Thomasina, the only close to their boy name, Thomas. Spencer didn't really like it, neither. He proposed Irene to honor Irene Adler, but Maeve didn't like it as for a first name.

"If it sounds good with her first name, we can make it her middle name, though", she proposed.

After some minutes of back and forth they'd decided to let their baby girl choose. She was very awake yet very silence. Her baby blue eyes were searching the room. Spencer was fascinated. Since Bridget's eyes never searched for anything this was a new sight to him. Bridget explored her world in a whole nother way, a way only blind can understand. It was amazing. But their baby taking in the world she'd been born into was something he'd clearly never forget.

"I think we should let her pick", Maeve said, "We'll read her the names and she'll make a sound If she likes one."

Spencer furrowed a brow. "Logically spoken..."

Maeve hushed him with her pointer. "I know it's not logical. It's not what this is about, Spence." She sighed and blinked. She didn't have any sleep since the last day. She'd been in labor for a mere of 21 hours. "My parents will be here in time. I think she should have a name. Also for Bridget to say."

So they started reading names. Anna, Beatrice, Belle... The baby didn't make a sound. She just stared. When Spencer had made it to Lana she cried, but didn't seem happy. Spencer frowned.

"So... Does this mean she's Lana then?"

Maeve shook her head eagerly cradling their baby. "Clearly not. She doesn't like it at all. Plus, imagine what she'll be going through when they read their names in reverse in school...", Maeve considered.

"You do have a point there", Spencer gave in. He kept reading. He'd read through all the page already when he was at the third name of the site, though. He knew their meanings, origins, everything.

Finally, when they made it to M the baby smiled widely at one name.

"Ohh, she likes that, Spence! Say it again!"

Spencer took his eyes off the book looking at his second daughter. "Matilda", he said.

The baby smiled as If she was saying: That's me.

"Matilda Irene... Mh, I think this sounds nice", Maeve said. The baby grabbed for her hair.

"Matilda Irene Reid", Spencer mumbled. He did like it, too.


End file.
